Hockeytown Winter Festival Gets Warm Review From Fans And Forecast

Street hockey in play at Winter Festival in Detroit. (WWJ/Beth Fisher)

DETROIT (WWJ) – While the weather has been delightful, the warmer temps on Saturday delayed the beginning of the grudge match between Michigan State and the University of Michigan – just one of the hockey games being played at Comerica Park , all a part of the Hockeytown Winter Festival.

It was 12-year-old Ashton Creery’s first outdoor hockey experience.

“Pretty excited,” Creery said. “I’ve been waiting a long time for this.”

Regina Gunn took three kids to the festival outside Comerica were she found the Red Wings fan zone, food, and street hockey.

“It’s fun, it’s a lot for the kids to do, it’s a beautiful – it’s beautiful down here,” she said.

Gunn says she’s not a big hockey fan, but the Winter Festival has made her think about going to a game now.

Sandy Burket of Detroit gave the event a big thumbs-up: “I love it, I think it’s fantastic, they did a really beautiful job here,” said Burket. “It’s nice to be able to come to downtown Detroit and enjoy this.”

The Winter Festival is being held outside Comerica with street hockey, player autographs, locker room displays and lots of trophies.

The festival run through New Year’s Day, with the NHL Winter Classic, a regular season game at the Big House in Ann Arbor between the Wings and the Leafs.